FLASH: Ashnault beats Kolodzic as No. 18 Rutgers edges No. 20 Princeton, 19-18
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by USA Wrestling
Photo of Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers putting Matthew Kolodzic of Princeton on his back courtesy of RUWrestling Twitter
No. 2 Ashnault Downs No. 1 Kolodzik as No. 18 Rutgers Wrestling Earns 19-18 Victory over No. 20 Princeton
Rutgers press release by Bradly Derechailo
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Feb. 3, 2019) – No. 2 Anthony Ashnault (149) defeated No. 1 Matthew Kolodzik by bonus as No. 18 Rutgers (9-5, 2-3) downed No. 20 Princeton (6-6, 2-0), 19-18, Sunday afternoon in front of 5,290 fans at the RAC.
With the Tigers leading, 18-15, heading into the final bout, Christian Colucci (HWT) needed bonus points to secure the dual for the Scarlet Knights. The junior responded with a 12-2 major over Kendall Elfstrum, giving RU its 23rd consecutive win over Princeton in the all-time series.
No. 4 Nick Suriano (133) collected a tech fall, while No. 14 John Van Brill (157) and Joseph Grello (174) each worked decisions to aid in the dual win.
Ashnault vs. Kolodzik: How it Happened
• After a scoreless first period, Ashnault started top and worked a two-point near fall for an early 2-0 lead in the second period. After a Kolodzik escape, Ashnault went for Kolodzik legs for the first takedown of the match. Ashnault finished the period with a 4-2 lead and 49 seconds of riding time.
• With a 5-2 lead and a minute left in the match, Ashnault caught Kolodzik on the edge of the circle for another takedown. Ashnault worked one more tilt and added the riding time point for the 10-2 major.
• Ashnault moved to 19-0 on the season and 3-2 against Kolodzik.
Rutgers vs. Princeton: How it Happened
• Rutgers fell behind early after Patrick Glory pinned Shane Metzler (125) to give Princeton a 6-0 lead.
• Suriano was next and responded with a 25-9 tech fall over Jonathan Gomez. Suriano had 11 takedowns on Gomez, including four in both the first and third periods for his fourth tech fall of the season and third consecutive win by bonus.
• Michael Van Brill earned the start at 141 pounds, but was unable to defeat Marshall Keller as he dropped an 8-5 decision.
• Ashnault’s 10-2 major made it a 9-9 match after four bouts, as Van Brill took the mat against Quincy Monday. Van Brill held a 2-1 lead over Monday after the first period, and worked a two-point near fall from the top position in period two. Van Brill closed out the match with another takedown and the riding time point for the 9-3 final.
• Rutgers held a 12-9 lead at intermission.
• Three straight overtime matches at 165, 174 and 184 followed out of the break. Trailing 5-3 with less than 30 seconds left in the match, Stephan Glasgow worked a reversal on Dale Tiongson to force sudden victory. However, Tiongson would prevail after an escape and takedown in tie breaker one for the final 8-5 result.
• Grello exchanged escapes with Travis Stefanik in regulation to force overtime. With the crowd behind him, Grello caught Stefanik in a cradle for the take down and four near-fall points, finishing with an 8-2 win in sudden victory.
• In his first match since Jan. 6 against Minnesota, No. 17 Nicholas Gravina (184) dropped his bout with Kevin Parker in sudden victory, 4-2, after Parker worked a takedown.
• Matthew Correnti (197) followed with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to No. 3 and undefeated Patrick Brucki, which gave Princeton an 18-15 advantage in the dual.
• Because Glory secured a pin to open the match, Rutgers needed Colucci to win by bonus points in order to earn the dual victory. The redshirt junior landed with a takedown in the first period, another in the second and followed two takedowns and a two-point near fall for the 12-2 major.
Notables
• Through seven home events this season, RU has averaged 4,992 fans per dual at the RAC.
• Rutgers moved to 44-33-5 all-time against Princeton. This was the 83rd meeting between the two schools, as Rutgers has won 23 consecutive matches against the Tigers since 1993.
• Ashnault is now 19-0 this season with 14 of those wins by bonus, including seven pins, four tech falls and three majors. Ashnault leads the team in dual points with 68.
• Ashnault has now defeated six ranked foes this season, including No. 1 Kolodzik, No. 3 Micah Jordan (Ohio State), No. 6 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State), No. 7 Mitch Finesilver (Duke), No. 12 Pat Lugo (Iowa) and No. 20 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota).
• Ashnault now owns 110 career wins, tied with Jon Forster for fifth all-time in program history. Ashnault needs eight wins to surpass Mike McHugh (1986-89) for the most wins in program history.
• Suriano collected his fourth tech fall of the season and is now 17-2 with 15 wins by bonus, including seven majors, four tech falls, three pins, and a medical forfeit. His 15 wins by bonus leads the team.
• Suriano is second on the team with 59 dual points in 14 duals this year.
No. 18 Rutgers 19, No. 20 Princeton 18
Match started at 125 Pounds
Officials: Brian Murphy, Jim Rivello
Attendance: 5,290
125 | No. 10 Pat Glory (Princeton) pin Shane Metzler (Rutgers), 2:58
133 | No. 4 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) tech. fall Jonathan Gomez (Princeton), 25-9
141 | Marshall Keller (Princeton) dec. Michael Van Brill (Rutgers), 8-5
149 | No. 2 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) maj. dec. No. 1 Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton), 10-2
157 | No. 14 John Van Brill (Rutgers) dec. Quincy Monday (Princeton), 9-3
165 | Dale Tiongson (Princeton) dec. Stephan Glasgow (Rutgers), 8-5, TB2
174 | Joe Grello (Rutgers) dec. Travis Stefanik (Princeton), 8-2, SV1
184 | Kevin Parker (Princeton) dec. No. 17 Nick Gravina (Rutgers), 4-2, SV1
197 | No. 3 Patrick Brucki (Princeton) dec. Matthew Correnti (Rutgers), 3-2
HWT | Christian Colucci (Rutgers) maj. dec. Kendall Elftstrum (Princeton), 12-2
Princeton Press Release
RUTGERS EDGES PRINCETON IN 19-18 THRILLER
A packed Rutgers Athletic Center crowd showed up Sunday to watch the two top-ranked wrestlers at 149, but they ended up getting one of the most exciting and competitive duals of the NCAA season thus far. Princeton built an 18-5 lead by winning three of four thrillers after intermission, but Rutgers closed with a major decision to score a 19-18 home win over the Tigers.
The featured match came at 149, as top-ranked Matthew Kolodzik took on Rutgers senior Anthony Ashnault for the fifth time at the collegiate level. After a scoreless first, Ashnault ignited the RAC with two quick back points and a takedown to open a 4-1 lead. It was 4-2 to start the third, but Ashnault escaped and scored another takedown at the edge of the mat to open a 7-2 lead. Kolodzik fought for a late turnaround, and Ashnault was able to take advantage with a quick turn for two final back points in the last 15 seconds to help secure a 10-2 major decision. The loss is Kolodzik's first of the season and first in a dual in nearly a calendar year (Feb. 4, 2018), and it gives Ashnault a 3-2 edge in their collegiate careers.
Should those two meet for a sixth and final time this year, it would come in Pittsburgh next month during the 2019 NCAA Championships (March 21-23).
That win evened the score for Rutgers, as a pair of Princeton freshmen put on an early show. Patrick Glory had the first set of fireworks, as he turned and pinned Shane Metzler with one second remaining in his match at 125. Following a technical fall for Nick Suriano, Marshall Keller overcame an early takedown with a score and back points of his own in an 8-5 win over Mike Van Brill.
Rutgers led 12-9 at the break, but the excitement was only going to ramp up from that point. Sophomore Dale Tiongson, the hero of Princeton's early-season win over Lehigh, scored an overtime takedown of Stephan Glasgow at 165 to bring Princeton even at 12-12. Travis Stefanik got in tight on a single in his overtime at 174, but Joe Grello countered it and turned it into a cradle of his own; Stefanik did well to fend off the fall, but he fell 8-2.
A third straight overtime was in store, and junior Kevin Parker again drew Princeton even with a 4-2 win over Nick Gravina, a Rutgers wrestler who had pinned Parker one year earlier. Parker showed incredible toughness late, maintaining control of Gravina in the final seconds to force overtime, and then driving in on the legs for an overtime takedown that evened the score at 15-15. Sophomore Patrick Brucki had a tough battle at 197, but he scored the match's only takedown in the third period for a 3-2 win, which gave Princeton an 18-15 lead.
The final match came at heavyweight, where Princeton sophomore Kendall Elfstrum — who moved up from 184 this season to add depth to that weight class — gave up about 50 pounds to Christian Colucci. That deficit was a bit too much for Elfstrum, who battled throughout but couldn't avoid a 12-2 major decision that ultimately clinched the match for Rutgers.
While the outcome was disappointing for Princeton, the Tigers know there is plenty left to achieve this year, and their next dual could go a long way into hitting one of their goals. Princeton will head to Ithaca to take on reigning Ivy League champion Cornell; the Tigers currently share first place in the league following wins over both Harvard and Brown yesterday. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
No. 2 Ashnault Downs No. 1 Kolodzik as No. 18 Rutgers Wrestling Earns 19-18 Victory over No. 20 Princeton
Rutgers press release by Bradly Derechailo
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Feb. 3, 2019) – No. 2 Anthony Ashnault (149) defeated No. 1 Matthew Kolodzik by bonus as No. 18 Rutgers (9-5, 2-3) downed No. 20 Princeton (6-6, 2-0), 19-18, Sunday afternoon in front of 5,290 fans at the RAC.
With the Tigers leading, 18-15, heading into the final bout, Christian Colucci (HWT) needed bonus points to secure the dual for the Scarlet Knights. The junior responded with a 12-2 major over Kendall Elfstrum, giving RU its 23rd consecutive win over Princeton in the all-time series.
No. 4 Nick Suriano (133) collected a tech fall, while No. 14 John Van Brill (157) and Joseph Grello (174) each worked decisions to aid in the dual win.
Ashnault vs. Kolodzik: How it Happened
• After a scoreless first period, Ashnault started top and worked a two-point near fall for an early 2-0 lead in the second period. After a Kolodzik escape, Ashnault went for Kolodzik legs for the first takedown of the match. Ashnault finished the period with a 4-2 lead and 49 seconds of riding time.
• With a 5-2 lead and a minute left in the match, Ashnault caught Kolodzik on the edge of the circle for another takedown. Ashnault worked one more tilt and added the riding time point for the 10-2 major.
• Ashnault moved to 19-0 on the season and 3-2 against Kolodzik.
Rutgers vs. Princeton: How it Happened
• Rutgers fell behind early after Patrick Glory pinned Shane Metzler (125) to give Princeton a 6-0 lead.
• Suriano was next and responded with a 25-9 tech fall over Jonathan Gomez. Suriano had 11 takedowns on Gomez, including four in both the first and third periods for his fourth tech fall of the season and third consecutive win by bonus.
• Michael Van Brill earned the start at 141 pounds, but was unable to defeat Marshall Keller as he dropped an 8-5 decision.
• Ashnault’s 10-2 major made it a 9-9 match after four bouts, as Van Brill took the mat against Quincy Monday. Van Brill held a 2-1 lead over Monday after the first period, and worked a two-point near fall from the top position in period two. Van Brill closed out the match with another takedown and the riding time point for the 9-3 final.
• Rutgers held a 12-9 lead at intermission.
• Three straight overtime matches at 165, 174 and 184 followed out of the break. Trailing 5-3 with less than 30 seconds left in the match, Stephan Glasgow worked a reversal on Dale Tiongson to force sudden victory. However, Tiongson would prevail after an escape and takedown in tie breaker one for the final 8-5 result.
• Grello exchanged escapes with Travis Stefanik in regulation to force overtime. With the crowd behind him, Grello caught Stefanik in a cradle for the take down and four near-fall points, finishing with an 8-2 win in sudden victory.
• In his first match since Jan. 6 against Minnesota, No. 17 Nicholas Gravina (184) dropped his bout with Kevin Parker in sudden victory, 4-2, after Parker worked a takedown.
• Matthew Correnti (197) followed with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to No. 3 and undefeated Patrick Brucki, which gave Princeton an 18-15 advantage in the dual.
• Because Glory secured a pin to open the match, Rutgers needed Colucci to win by bonus points in order to earn the dual victory. The redshirt junior landed with a takedown in the first period, another in the second and followed two takedowns and a two-point near fall for the 12-2 major.
Notables
• Through seven home events this season, RU has averaged 4,992 fans per dual at the RAC.
• Rutgers moved to 44-33-5 all-time against Princeton. This was the 83rd meeting between the two schools, as Rutgers has won 23 consecutive matches against the Tigers since 1993.
• Ashnault is now 19-0 this season with 14 of those wins by bonus, including seven pins, four tech falls and three majors. Ashnault leads the team in dual points with 68.
• Ashnault has now defeated six ranked foes this season, including No. 1 Kolodzik, No. 3 Micah Jordan (Ohio State), No. 6 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State), No. 7 Mitch Finesilver (Duke), No. 12 Pat Lugo (Iowa) and No. 20 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota).
• Ashnault now owns 110 career wins, tied with Jon Forster for fifth all-time in program history. Ashnault needs eight wins to surpass Mike McHugh (1986-89) for the most wins in program history.
• Suriano collected his fourth tech fall of the season and is now 17-2 with 15 wins by bonus, including seven majors, four tech falls, three pins, and a medical forfeit. His 15 wins by bonus leads the team.
• Suriano is second on the team with 59 dual points in 14 duals this year.
No. 18 Rutgers 19, No. 20 Princeton 18
Match started at 125 Pounds
Officials: Brian Murphy, Jim Rivello
Attendance: 5,290
125 | No. 10 Pat Glory (Princeton) pin Shane Metzler (Rutgers), 2:58
133 | No. 4 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) tech. fall Jonathan Gomez (Princeton), 25-9
141 | Marshall Keller (Princeton) dec. Michael Van Brill (Rutgers), 8-5
149 | No. 2 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) maj. dec. No. 1 Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton), 10-2
157 | No. 14 John Van Brill (Rutgers) dec. Quincy Monday (Princeton), 9-3
165 | Dale Tiongson (Princeton) dec. Stephan Glasgow (Rutgers), 8-5, TB2
174 | Joe Grello (Rutgers) dec. Travis Stefanik (Princeton), 8-2, SV1
184 | Kevin Parker (Princeton) dec. No. 17 Nick Gravina (Rutgers), 4-2, SV1
197 | No. 3 Patrick Brucki (Princeton) dec. Matthew Correnti (Rutgers), 3-2
HWT | Christian Colucci (Rutgers) maj. dec. Kendall Elftstrum (Princeton), 12-2
Princeton Press Release
RUTGERS EDGES PRINCETON IN 19-18 THRILLER
A packed Rutgers Athletic Center crowd showed up Sunday to watch the two top-ranked wrestlers at 149, but they ended up getting one of the most exciting and competitive duals of the NCAA season thus far. Princeton built an 18-5 lead by winning three of four thrillers after intermission, but Rutgers closed with a major decision to score a 19-18 home win over the Tigers.
The featured match came at 149, as top-ranked Matthew Kolodzik took on Rutgers senior Anthony Ashnault for the fifth time at the collegiate level. After a scoreless first, Ashnault ignited the RAC with two quick back points and a takedown to open a 4-1 lead. It was 4-2 to start the third, but Ashnault escaped and scored another takedown at the edge of the mat to open a 7-2 lead. Kolodzik fought for a late turnaround, and Ashnault was able to take advantage with a quick turn for two final back points in the last 15 seconds to help secure a 10-2 major decision. The loss is Kolodzik's first of the season and first in a dual in nearly a calendar year (Feb. 4, 2018), and it gives Ashnault a 3-2 edge in their collegiate careers.
Should those two meet for a sixth and final time this year, it would come in Pittsburgh next month during the 2019 NCAA Championships (March 21-23).
That win evened the score for Rutgers, as a pair of Princeton freshmen put on an early show. Patrick Glory had the first set of fireworks, as he turned and pinned Shane Metzler with one second remaining in his match at 125. Following a technical fall for Nick Suriano, Marshall Keller overcame an early takedown with a score and back points of his own in an 8-5 win over Mike Van Brill.
Rutgers led 12-9 at the break, but the excitement was only going to ramp up from that point. Sophomore Dale Tiongson, the hero of Princeton's early-season win over Lehigh, scored an overtime takedown of Stephan Glasgow at 165 to bring Princeton even at 12-12. Travis Stefanik got in tight on a single in his overtime at 174, but Joe Grello countered it and turned it into a cradle of his own; Stefanik did well to fend off the fall, but he fell 8-2.
A third straight overtime was in store, and junior Kevin Parker again drew Princeton even with a 4-2 win over Nick Gravina, a Rutgers wrestler who had pinned Parker one year earlier. Parker showed incredible toughness late, maintaining control of Gravina in the final seconds to force overtime, and then driving in on the legs for an overtime takedown that evened the score at 15-15. Sophomore Patrick Brucki had a tough battle at 197, but he scored the match's only takedown in the third period for a 3-2 win, which gave Princeton an 18-15 lead.
The final match came at heavyweight, where Princeton sophomore Kendall Elfstrum — who moved up from 184 this season to add depth to that weight class — gave up about 50 pounds to Christian Colucci. That deficit was a bit too much for Elfstrum, who battled throughout but couldn't avoid a 12-2 major decision that ultimately clinched the match for Rutgers.
While the outcome was disappointing for Princeton, the Tigers know there is plenty left to achieve this year, and their next dual could go a long way into hitting one of their goals. Princeton will head to Ithaca to take on reigning Ivy League champion Cornell; the Tigers currently share first place in the league following wins over both Harvard and Brown yesterday. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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